Filling valve for sirupers



June 12, 1934. A. R. THOMPSON 1,962,161

FILLING VALVE FOR sIRUPERs Filed Jan. 26, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet lATTORNEYS.

BY 01m/ @#60072 June 12, 1934. A. R. THOMPSON l FILLING VALVE FORSIRUPERS Filed Jan. 26, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNE YS.

Patented June 12, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FILLING VALVE FonsinUPERs Albert R. Thompson, San Jose, Calif., assignor to FoodMachinery Corporation, San Jose, C

Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application January 26, 1932, SerialNo. 589,032`

9 Claims.

My invention relates generally to valves for filling containers; andparticularly to filling valves for sirupers as used in the canning art.

The type of valve with which my improvement is concerned is that inwhich the elevation of the can lifts the normally closed valve to openits passages and ports to a Sirup flow, through the communication thusestablished, said type being further characterized by the introductioninto the can, during said now, of a displacement body, the subsequentwithdrawal of which provides for a safe lowering of the sirup level inthe can.

The essential object of my present invention is to provide a fillingvalve of this general type capable as a unitary structure of supplyingsuccessively two fluids; in practice, two liquids, differing aspredetermined.

I n particular, the object is to provide a simple and effective singlevalve structure for supplying iirst, a concentrated sirup, followed by adiluent liquid, in practise water or a weaker sirup.

The ultimate object is to avoid Waste by overflow excess or spillingeither in filling or during subsequent processing.

The nature of my improved valve and the manner in which it operates willhereinafter fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown my valve in its preferredform, though it is to be understood that changesmay be made therein,both in structure and arrangement, without departing from the spirit ofthe invention as defined in the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the valveshowing it in its normal or inoperative condition, just as the can hasbeen elevated to a closure contact or seating of its open top.

Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional view, broken, of one half the valveshowing its condition under the further elevation of the can by whichthe valve passages and ports are opened to a now of the first liquidinto the can.

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional View but showing the condition of thevalve under a still further elevation of the can,adapted for causing aflow into the can of the second liquid. i

Fig. 4 is a detail showing a means for 0perating the ring gear by whichthe measuring chambers for the first liquid of a plurality of valves maybe varied as to Volume capacity.

1 is a tank forming the source of supply of one liquid, and 2 is a tankfor supplying another liquid. In the bottom of tank 1 is fitted a down-C". wardly protruding sleeve 3 forming an outer guide within which thetubular stem 4 of a Valve head 5 is adapted for vertical movement,

a rolling ring gasket 6 being interposed near the lower end ior packing.The lower face of the valve head 5 is provided with concentric sealinggaskets at slightly different elevations, the outer one being designatedby 7 and the inner one by 8.

Carried by the bottom of tank 2 is a jam--nutifiv fitting 9 in which isscrewed the upper end of a tubular stem 10 which passes down through thetubular valve-stem 4 for which it forms an inner guide, a rolling ringgasket 11 being interposed near the upper portion of said stem 4. mi

The stem 10 has at its foot a closure member 12 with a bottom flange 13of a diameter suiiicient to span the inner sealing gasket 8 in order toform a seat therefor, said seat flange being, by reason of the Vscrewfitting of its stein 10 in (75 the fitting 9, adapted for verticaladjustment to regulate the depth of its intrusion into the can as adisplacement body, as will be presently described. ll is an air venttube opening below through the valve seat flange 13 and thence ris- E80ing through the stem 10 and tank 2 to a shield chamber l5 and directingvent 16.

Fitted for vertical adjustment in a bracket 17 secured to the wall ofthe tank 2 is a tubular piston-stem 18 which passes down into the stemsl0, and around the vent tube 11i-and is spaced from both stem and tube.

The stem 18 carries upon its lower end a piston 19 fitting within thestem 10 and dening the upper limit of a measuring chamber 20 formed 9oin said stein l0, the foot closure member l2 forming the lower limit ofsaid chamber 20.

A spring 2l around the piston stem 18 bearing Y below on a collar 22thereon and above against the bracket 17, serves to steady the piston 19in95 its normal position as set. The upper end of the stem 18 carries anair vent hood 23. A spring 24 yieldingly controls the movement of thevalve head 5 and its stem 4.

The several fluid passages, both for air and100 liquid, and theircontrolling ports will now be described.

In the upper end of the guide sleeve 3 and opening directly out of thetank l is a passage 25 which at its base opens through the inner wall105 of said sleeve forming a port 26.

In the lower portion oi' the wall of the valve stem 4 is made a passage27 which at its upper end opens outwardly through the stern wall forminga port 28. At its lower end said passage 27 110 opens through the valvehead 5 at 29; and intermediate its ends it has an inwardly opening port29.

In the upper portion of the wall of the valve i stem 4 is made a passage30 which at its upper end opens inwardly through said wall as a port 3l.At its lower end said passage 30 opens inwardly as a port 32. Throughthe wall of the stem 10, above the level of the piston 19, is made aport 33; and through said wall below the piston is a port 34, andanother port 35 a little lower. Through said stem wall at its lower endjust above the foot member 12 is made the -port 36. The liquid from tank2 finds its loutlet through the top of the stem 10 and downiin the spacebetween said stem and the piston stem 18 to the piston 19 which definesthe lower limit of said space.

Through the piston 19 is made the air vent passage 37 which opens fromthe `top of the measuring chamber 20 and leads into the piston stem 18.

.Since,fin this. art, in order to fully understand `thestructure andoperation of the filling valve,

it has been unnecessary to involve the disclosure with a description andshowing of the relatively elaborate and complete sirupers, bottlingmachinesandother filling apparatus, itisvconsidered that the showingherein inrespect to the following matters particularly will besufficient to indicate the well known type of such apparatus ormachinesin which a plurality of containers and valves move together in acircular path, during and because of which the filling is accomplished.Accordingly I have herein shown a can 38 on a table 39 which has avertical movement due to a roller 40 traveling on a cam track 41, sothat said can is timely elevated to its filling valve and loweredtherefrom; and VI have also shown, as a means for simultaneouslyadjusting the pistons 19 of all the valves, to vary the capacity of themeasuring chamber 20, a gear 42 meshing with a pinion 43 on the pistonstem 18, it being understood that said gear 42 is a ring gear engagingthe pinions 43 of all the valves.

1InlFig. 4 I show said ring gear as fitted revolubly in a clamp'bracket44 and adapted to be rotated by a pinion operated by a handled shaft 46.

Each filling valve may, however, be individually varied with respect tothe capacity of its measuring chamber 20, by manually lifting its pistonstern 18 to free the pinion 43 from the ring gear 42, and turning saidpinion up or down to the desired point. Any suitable means, not shown,arerprovided for preventing the piston stem from rotating, withoutimpeding its vertical movement.

From the following description of the operation, a clear understandingwill be had.

Referring first to Fig. l. The can 38 has just been lifted to the outergasket 'Z of the valve head 5 thereby closing its open top. The innergasket 8 still rests upon the foot flange 13, preventing any liquid fromflowing into the can. The liquid from tank 2 has entered the open top ofthe stem 10 and beingstopped by the piston 19 has-passed outwardlythrough port 33 in stem 10 and port 3l in valve stem 4 into the passage30 in -said valve stem, Thence it has passed through lower port 32 inthe valve stem, and the port 35 in the stem 10 into and has filled themeasuring chamber r20, the air in said chamber having escaped throughthe vent passage v37 in the piston 19. In this chamber the liquid isconfined, the lower ports 36 at the base of the chamber being closed tothe intermediate port 29 of the valve stem 4. No liquid from the tank lcan pass out because the passage 25 in sleeve 3 and its port 26 areclosed by the valve stem 4.

Refer now to Fig. 2: The can has been further elevated slightly. Thismovement by contact with the outer gasket 7 raises the valve head 5 andlifts the .inner gasket 8 from its closure on top of the foot iiange 1-3so that the way is open into the can. Said movement also has opened, bythe elevation of the valve stem 4, the

-bottom port 36 of the measuring chamber 20 so that the measured chargeof liquid flows out through port 29 into the passage 27 and down throughsaid passage and past the separated gasket 8 and foot flange 13 into thecan, while the `air returns into the emptying chamber through the pistonpassage 37, and the air from the'can is driven out through the vent tube14. But still no liquid from the tank 1 has passed out, because theelevation of the valve stem 4 has notbeen enough to register the ports28 and.26.

.Refer now to Fig. 3. The can has been still further elevated. Now theports 28 and 26 in the passages 27 and 25 respectively are aligned andthe liquid from tank 1 fiows through said passages and down into the canpast the still separated gasket 8 and foot flange 13. Meanwhile theliquid from the tank 2 has been refilling the measuring chamber 20, thelower port 32 of the valve stem passage 30 having been brought intoregister with the upper port 34 in stem 10; and the outlet from saidchamber being closed by reasonof the ports 36 and 29 being out ofregister.

When the can is lowered for final separation from the filling device,the latter resumes its initial position for a repetition oftheoperation.

Two fluids, both gaseous or both liquid; or one a liquid and the other agas may thus be supplied by a single filling valve in what ispractically a single operation at a single station, instead of usingseparate valves at stations more or less remote.

The nature of the two fluids may vary in ac- ,-jf,

cordance with the art in which they are required; but in the sruping arta known special use involves the employment of a first Sirup,judiciously concentrated, in accordance with the nature of the fruit,and carefully supplied in predetermined j',

is supplied from tank 1 under conditions which ,i

avoid waste, by making use of the Well known intruding displacementbody, thereby providing for an apparent can fullness, but ultimately, byremoval from the can, causing a reduction in the liquid level in apredetermined degree to insure jf.

safety from spilling during subsequent processes.

" In this connection, and for this purpose, it will be seen, byreference to the position shown in Fig. 3 that the elevation of the canto the height necessaryl to open the valve to the second or diluentliquid from tank 1 has caused the penetration of the foot flange 13 intothe can to such a depth that it functions as a displacement body in thesame way and with the same effect as heretofore Vlli) in cam fillingvalves supplying a single liquid. L

Therefore, whatever may be the nature of the diluent liquid it issupplied without excess or waste either in filling or subsequently, inafterprocesses; and in case the diluent liquid be itself a thinnersirup, such saving is important; and is of value even when water is usedas a diluent; since the water mixing with the sirup cannot be spilledwithout waste.

1. A filling valve for supplying containers with two fluids, comprisingtwo distinct sources of fluid supply, each having an outlet forcommunication with the container; a single valve member adapted forestablishing and controlling said communication to separately admit andclose off the fluids to and from theV container; means incorporated insaid communication and under the control of said valve for defining thevolume of one of the admitted fluids; and means for defining theultimate level in the container of the uid aggregate admitted.

2. A filling valve for supplying containers with two fluids, comprisingtwo distinct sources of fluid supply, each having an outlet forcommunication with a container; a single valve member adapted forestablishing and controlling said communication to separately admit andclose off the fluids to and from the container; a charge-measuringchamber incorporated in said communication, which chamber is under thecontrol of said valve, for defining the volume of one of the admittedfluids; and a containerpenetrating displacement body for defining theultimate level in the container of the fluid aggregate admitted.

3. A filling valve for supplying containers with two fluids, comprisingtwo distinct sources of fluid supply, each having an outlet forcommunication with the container; a single valve member adapted forestablishing and controlling said communication to separately admit andclose off the fluids to and from the container; means incorporated insaid communication and under the control oi said valve for dening thevolume of one of the admitted fiuids comprising a charge-measuringchamber; a container-penetrating displacement body for defining theultimate level in the container of the fluid aggregate admitted; andmeans for varying the functional capacity of said chamber and body.

4. A filling valve for containers comprising two liquid supply tanks invertical relation; an outlet sleeve fitted in and extending downwardlyfrom the bottom of the lower tank; an outlet tubular stem fitted in thebottom of the upper tank and extending down through and concentricallyspaced from the outlet sleeve of the lower tank; and a verticallyyielding valve-head adapted for closure connection with the container,said head having a tubular stem, fitted concentrically between andguided by said outlet sleeve and outlet stem, said valve stem havingpassages and Vports for separately controlling the flow of liquid fromthe tanks.

5. A filling valve for containers comprising two liquid supply tanks invertical relation; an outlet sleeve fitted in and extending downwardlyfrom the bottom of the lower tank; an outlet tubular stem fitted in thebottom of the upper tank and extending down through and concentricallyspaced from the outlet sleeve of the lower tank, said stem having formedwithin it a charge-measuring chamber; and a vertically yieldingvalve-head adapted for closure connection with the container, said headhaving a tubular stem fitted concentrically between and guided by saidoutlet sleeve and outlet stem, said valve stem having passages and portsfor separately controlling the flow of liquid from the tanks.

6. A lling valve for containers comprising two liquid supply tanks invertical relation; an outlet sleeve fitted in and extending downwardlyfrom the bottom of the lower tank; an outlet tubular stem fitted in thebottom of the upper tank and extending down through and concentricallyspaced from the outlet sleeve of the lower tank, said stem having formedwithin it a charge-measuring chamber; means for varying the volumecapacity of said chamber; and a vertically yielding valve-head adaptedfor closure connection with the container, said head having a tubularstem fitted concentrically between and guided by said outlet sleeve andoutlet stem, said valve stem having passages and ports for separatelycontrolling the flow of liquid from the tanks.

7. A filling valve for containers comprising two liquid supply tanks invertical relation; an outlet sleeve fitted in and extending downwardlyfrom the bottom of the lower tank; an outlet tubular stem fitted in thebottom of the upper tank and extending down through and concentricallyspaced from the outlet sleeve of the lower tank, said stem having formedwithin it a charge-measuring chamber; means for varying the volumecapacity of said chamber comprising an adjustable piston therein; and avertically yielding valve-head adapted for closure connection with thecontainer, said head having a tubular stem fitted concentrically betweenand guided by said outlet sleeve and outlet stem, said valve stem havingpassages and ports for separately controlling the flow of liquid fromthe tanks.

8. A filling valve for containers comprising two liquid supply tanks invertical relation; an outlet sleeve ntted in and extending downwardlyfrom the bottom of the lower tank; an outlet tubular stem fitted in thebottom of the upper tank and extending down through and concentricallyspaced from the outlet sleeve of the lower tank, said stem having at itslower end a Container-penetrating displacement body; and a verticallyyielding valve-head adapted for closure seating upon the container topand upon said displacement body, said valve head having a tubular stemtted concentrically between and guided by said outlet sleeve and outletstem, said valve stem having passages and ports for separatelycontrolling the flow of liquid from the tanks.

9. A filling valve for containers comprising two liquid supply tanks invertical relation; an outlet sleeve fitted in and extending downwardlyfrom the bottom of the lower tank; an outlet tubular stem fitted in thebottom of the upper tank and extending down through and concentricallyspaced from the outlet sleeve of the lower tank, said stern havingformed within it a charge-measuring chamber with means for varying itsvolume capacity and said stem having at its lower end acontainer-penetrating displacement body; and a vertically yieldingvalvehead adapted for closure seating upon the container top and uponsaid displacement body, said valve head having a tubular stem fittedconcenu trically between and guided by said outlet sleeve and outletstem, said valve stern having passages and ports for separatelycontrolling the ow of liquid from the tanks.

ALBERT R. THOMPSON.

